New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Nas are taking a fresh look at hip-hop's roots in the city, and what it will take to keep its future here.
Mamdani joined Nas for a documentary premiered by Billboard on Wednesday (Sept. 30) about hip-hop's origins, present, and future in New York. Meeting near Nas’ native Queensbridge Projects, the rap icon described hip-hop as a form of reporting.
"Hip-hop unveils the truth. Hip-hop tells you exactly what your city looks like, sounds like, [and] feels like," said the rapper near the one-minute mark in the video linked above. "It was an outcry from people who demanded things to change and to tell the world what we were going through. And that came from a city that was going through a whole lot."
Mamdani argued New York must remain home to today’s artists, not merely hip-hop's birthplace.
"We can't be content with [New York City] having been the birthplace of hip-hop,” said the mayor. “We want it to still be the home.”
The documentary also visits the just-opened Bronx School of Hip-Hop, where principal Jason Reyes discussed the significance of city backing:
"It's surreal that New York City Mayor's Office, the chancellor's office, this is their school. They said, we are going to back this," Reyes said. "Who would have ever thought that hip-hop would make it this far? So, it means the world to know that our city is leading the way in a way that no one else has ever done it. And that's New York."
